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There were only two players on the South Course at Torrey Pines on Monday, but that still brought out an estimated 25,000 spectators. They ranged from the fanatical Tiger Woods faithful to a growing gathering of Rocco Mediate supporters, to those who seemed as if they stumbled across the course while on a walk.

"I am, without a doubt," said the 23-year-old, "the biggest Tiger Woods fan in the world."

Jackson moved to San Diego from Tennessee one week ago. His first task? Hang his 28 framed Tiger Woods Sports Illustrated covers. Jackson owns $10,000 worth of Tiger memorabilia, including seven bobble-head dolls. He paid $290 for a golf bag with Tiger's name stitched on it.

-- Do you have a tattoo of him on your (rear end)?" someone asked.

"No," Jackson said, "but if I ever did, it would be a Tiger Woods logo."

Jackson has limits. He won't name his first-born son Eldrick.

"That'll be his middle name," Jackson said.

-- The gallery was so packed that fans would catch a shot, then sprint ahead two holes to grab a seat in the grandstands. "The world's largest game of leapfrog," one person called it. Said a fan, darting from the No. 2 tee, across brush toward the No. 4 grandstands: "It's like a track meet out here."

-- Many spectators phoned in sick to work with the golf flu, including Raoul Calderon, a Portland dentist. He canceled 24 patients, including a couple of root canals. "They're not life-threatening," Calderon said. Tee Berry, a Temecula minister, skipped office hours. "God's bigger than Tiger," said Berry, standing along the No. 1 fairway. "But we got permission from the Boss to take the day off and enjoy golf."

-- Cheyenne and Amber Jaurequi watched on TV as Woods' dramatic putt on 18 fell Sunday to force the playoff and said, "We've gotta go." A friend scored them tickets, they secured a babysitter for the three kids and drove down from Sacramento, leaving an hour before midnight. "Stopped once at an AM/PM market, don't remember where," Cheyenne said. The couple hadn't slept and planned to repeat the drive immediately after the playoff. "Runnin' on adrenaline," Cheyenne said. "But we gotta see the Cat and Rocco."

-- Woods and Mediate were on the 12th hole, the southernmost part of the course, at the same time lines at the first-hole concession stand were 34-people deep.

The fans couldn't have been farther from the action. Anyway, two men emerged from the front of the line, each holding two beers and a sandwich.

"What's the plan?" said one.

"The 18th hole, and stay there," said the other.

-- Afraid he'd lose his spot along the rope line on the 14th tee box, with Woods and Mediate putting out at the 13th, one man said to the guy next to him: "I'll give you 30 bucks right now for that hot dog."